Learner Support

Safeguarding

The College recognises that in supporting its learners, it has a much wider role than simply protecting you from neglect, abuse or discrimination. The role involves keeping you safe from accidents, crime and bullying and actively promoting your welfare and positive life experiences for you in a healthy, safe, diverse and welcoming environment.

Whilst at College if you have any concerns, worries or queries with regard to your safety or wellbeing, please contact our Student Wellbeing/Safeguarding Officers 01656 302 302 Ext 488

Support for Learners with Additional Needs

The Specialist Support Centre

At our Bridgend campus (E Block) and at our Pencoed Campus (Main Teaching Block), we have a dedicated Specialist Support Team who offer help and support for any learner who has any Additional Needs or Disability. To help you with your studies, you will be offered an initial assessment of your needs, with the appropriate ongoing support, guidance or Assistive Technology where needed.

Assistive Technology available:

Magnification devices

Spelling aids

Specialist input devices

Dictaphones

Communication aids

Literacy support software

All staff are qualified in their specialist areas to ensure a first class service is on offer to any learner who needs this additional help. The support on offer is to assist learners with Dyslexia, those who are Deaf or having a hearing Impairment or those who have a Visual Impairment or are Blind.

The services, support and expertise on offer are:

Dyslexia Support

Deaf Support and British Sign Language Interpreters

Assistive Technology service

Classroom Support

Sight Loss Service

DSA (Disabled Student Allowance

These services are offered to ensure all learners are able to realise their full learning potential. For further information, please Contact:

Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)

Assessment Service for Higher Education Learners

The Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) is a Government grant for UK learners enrolled on higher education courses, both full-time and part-time (if studying at least 50% of a full-time course). The DSA pays for extra costs that learners may have whilst studying as a result of their disability or specific learning difficulty.

The allowance can pay for support in the form of equipment and human support, as well as extra travel costs and other course related costs, such as books, photocopying and printing. It is not dependent on the household income.

Who is eligible?

Higher Education Learners with a:

Specific Learning Difficult e.g. Dyslexia

Physical Disability

Mental Health Difficulty

Sensory Disability e.g. Hard of Hearing, Partially Sighted or Blind

Long term illness e.g. Diabetes, Epilepsy, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

The DSA Assessment Centre located within the Specialist Support Centre (E-block) at our Bridgend Campus provides assessments for learners who are eligible for the Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA). This involves talking to you about your disability and the barriers you experience and then recommending the support strategies and equipment that will allow you to access your education on a level playing field to your peers.

Learners eligible for the DSA are normally requested to attend a Study Strategies Assessment by their Local Authority/Funding Body. The Bridgend Assessment Centre is a registered assessment centre with the Disabled Students’ Allowances Quality Assurance Group (DSA-QAG) and is a member of the National Network of Assessment Centres (NNAC).

Welfare & Wellbeing

In the life of every student there comes a time when some advice and extra support is welcome to perhaps solve a problem that is not going away, or to get some advice so you can make the best decision for yourself. Across all campuses students can make an appointment or drop in to meet with a Student Wellbeing Officer.

There is also the option to meet with a male or female officer if you have a preference.

The Student Wellbeing Team work together to make sure there is always someone available to listen and give the support that is most appropriate. The Student Wellbeing Officers want to hear from anyone who is being bullied or is feeling unsafe to ensure help is provided immediately. Support and advice can be offered for many other issues, e.g. housing, finances, personal and relationship issues and alcohol and substance misuse to name a few. We are committed to supporting our students to enable them to reach their full potential.

Whilst at College if you have any concerns, worries or queries with regard to your safety or wellbeing, please contact our Student Wellbeing Officers:

At Bridgend we are based at the Student Wellbeing Centre – E Block, Room 4 and at Pencoed Student Wellbeing Centre – Old House OH0:12.

Bullying

Verbal or physical abuse

Racial or embarrassing sexual comments

Being treated unfairly/excluded

Jokes about a person’s sexual orientation

Written abuse, including graffiti and computer imaging

Bullying, including name calling, spreading rumours, teasing, sarcasm

Offensive remarks or comments made via any social networking sites

What do I do if I am being bullied?

Recognise the behaviour as unacceptable and tell someone you trust (friend, family member, member of College staff)

Address the issue with the bully / perpetrator in a calm and confident manner – tell them what behaviour you don’t like and how it makes you feel, for example “I feel … When you … Because”

If you do not think you can do this, contact a the Wellbeing Officer in your Faculty

In the case of a Social media issue, do not respond to comments but save the comments being made to you.

John Morgan : 07973 716794Sian Protheroe-Williams : 07971 670504

At Bridgend we are based at the Student Wellbeing Centre – E Block, Room 4 and at Pencoed we are in the Student Wellbeing Centre – Old House OH0:12.

Counselling

If you feel you need to talk to someone about issues that affecting your life whether at College or at home, the College has trained Counsellors who are available across a number of campuses.

Where required, there is a choice between male and female Counsellors who offer a confidential service to all students. To book appointments please contact the Student Wellbeing Officers:

John Morgan : 07973 716794Sam Gunnarsson : 07971 670504

At Bridgend we are based at the Student Wellbeing Centre – E Block, Room 4 and at Pencoed, we are in the Student Wellbeing Centre – Old House OH0:12.

Sexual health clinics

There is a sexual health clinic available at both the Bridgend and Pencoed campuses. The session at the Pencoed campus occurs every Monday from 11:00 – 2:00pm in the Old House (OH0:12) and at Bridgend campus every Tuesday from 11:00am – 2:00pm in the Student Wellbeing Centre (E Block, Room 4). The clinic is run by specially trained nurses who offer the following services:

Free condoms

Emergency Contraception

Pregnancy testing

STI testing

Advice and referral to pregnancy services

Contraception advice

Contact us...
01656 302 302
enquiries@bridgend.ac.uk

Address
Bridgend College, Cowbridge Road,
Bridgend, CF31 3DF

The Apprenticeship, Traineeship and Jobs Growth Wales Programmes, led by the Welsh Government, are supported by the European Social Fund.Cymraeg / English